Garden Planning

Spring Back: How to Help Your Landscape Rebound From Winter Damage

3 common problems, 3 simple solutions

3 common problems, 3 simple solutions

Enter the polar vortex. Besides adding a new term to our collective lexicon, it brought bone-chilling temperatures, wild weather conditions and no shortage of cold-injured trees, shrubs and perennial plants. Here's what you might see in and around your landscape-and what to do about it.

Cold Damage

The Cause:

Because plants are living things, they have cells just like we do. When temperatures drop rapidly, tiny ice crystals form inside tender plant cells, causing them to rupture anywhere from root to leaf tip. The damage to the plant may be MINOR or MAJOR.

The Signs - MINOR damage to the portion of the plant:

Dead branches or shoots - lack of new leaves or new growth in spring on branches or shoots

Die-Back - new leaves and new shoots only sprouting from the bottom of plant or near the ground

Scorched-looking leaves and needles on evergreens

The Fix - Feed to Encourage Replacement Growth:

Once spring arrives and plants begin to "green-up" with new leaves, cut away any dead limbs or branches that are not leafing-out.

Sometimes the damage is so severe (usually more than 50% of the plant is not leafing out at all) that it's better to replace the plant than wait years for it to fill-in, especially if the plant is a "slow grower."

The Fix:

Replant deciduous, evergreen and flowering trees and shrubs, if necessary.

Before planting, improve soil conditions and give plants a boost of nutrients by mixing Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil into existing soil at a 50:50 ratio.

Frost Heaving

Many plants can handle a little expected frost - but not the continuous frost-thaw cycle.

The Cause:

Just like when pavement thrusts up and buckles from the frost-thaw cycle, so does soil. These alternating periods of freezing and thawing force some perennial plants and grass seedlings out of the ground, exposing their roots and crowns.